In the news|March 24, 2015 03:47 EDT
NCAA March Madness 2015 News: Tournament All Set for Ultra-Competitive 'Sweet 16'
Yahoo Sports Pat Forde recently wrote a comprehensive breakdown of the NCAA tournament that is now down to its last 16 teams. While the first couple of rounds treated fans of college basketball to a slew of upsets, Forde notes that there is one element markedly absent from this year's Sweet 16"”a Cinderella.
As the Yahoo Sports article breaks down, 13 of the 16 teams still alive are from Power Five conferences, with the three teams not belonging to that club being perennial big dance attendees.
Gonzaga is a No. 2 seed this year, and are in their 17th straight NCAA tournament appearance. As Forde points out, Wichita State are 95-14 in the last three seasons, were undefeated going into the tournament last year, and made the Final Four in 2013; while Xavier earned a slot in the tournament for the ninth time in the last 10 years.
Other numbers that would show just how deep and competitive this year's Sweet 16 pool is include the number 10"”the number of programs that have won national titles, with the seven of those teams having won multiple national titles.
Three number one seeds still have their championship hopes alive. The undefeated Wildcats of Kentucky still appear to be the favorites, with scheduling and geographic advantages all going for them, but as Forde points out, the teams that appear equipped to give them a run for their money, Duke, Wisconsin, and Arizona, are still in the thick of things.
The Sweet 16 is scheduled for March 26-27. Kentucky takes on Virginia on March 26, the same day Notre Dame takes on Wichita State. The two other games on that day are Wisconsin going up against North Carolina, and Arizona taking on Xavier.
The next day, the Blue Devils face Utah, along with the UCLA-Gonzaga showdown, the Oklahoma-Michigan tiff, and the battle between NC State and Louisville.